BEIJING - China and India will hold the first round of a bilateral strategic economic dialogue on Monday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hong Lei announced at a regular press conference here on Sept 23.

According to Hong, the dialogue will be co-chaired by Zhang Ping, director of China's National Development and Reform Commission, and Indian Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia.

Representatives from the two nations in charge of foreign affairs and macroeconomic planning will attend the dialogue, Hong said, adding that the dialogue will focus on macroeconomic outlook, communication and coordination on economic policy-making and other potential opportunities for pragmatic cooperation.

"I believe the China-India strategic economic dialogue would help boost economic cooperation between the two nations," Hong said.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh agreed to establish a regular bilateral strategic economic dialogue mechanism during Wen's visit to India last December.

The dialogue was established to strengthen coordination on macroeconomic policy-making and jointly tackle challenges emerging in the economic development of both nations.

The first round of the dialogue has also been listed as an important event marking the China-India Exchange Year in 2011.